Publications by authors named "Robert W Parker"

Article Synopsis
  • A 56-year-old transgender woman with HIV presented to the emergency department due to visual disturbances and bilateral papilledema, but initial imaging did not show any intracranial issues.
  • A lumbar puncture revealed syphilis in her cerebrospinal fluid, leading to a diagnosis of bilateral syphilitic uveitis, and she was treated successfully with penicillin.
  • This case highlights the need for early syphilis screening in transgender individuals with HIV who have visual symptoms and emphasizes the healthcare barriers they face, which can delay treatment and increase the risk of serious complications.
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Objective: Our study analyzed the impact of civil commitment (CC) laws for substance use disorder (SUD) on opioid overdose death rates (OODR) in the U.S. from 2010-21.

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Buprenorphine/Naloxone (Suboxone®) is an efficacious treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD) due to its more convenient dosing, superior safety profile, and decreased incidence of negative side effects when compared to other forms of medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD). In the United States, updated legislation in 2021 entitled, "The Practice Guidelines for the Administration of Buprenorphine for Treating Opioid Use Disorder",released by the Department of Health and Human Services, creates an exemption for the previously required Drug Addiction Treatment Act of 2000 (DATA) waiver for buprenorphine prescribing for clinicians. This legislation was born out of a need for making MOUD more accessible for patients living with OUD as rates of opioid-related deaths in the United States have continued to rise and have increased disproportionately during the time period of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Concern has been voiced in recent years regarding the environmental implications of the Antarctic krill fishery. Attention has focused primarily on ecological concerns, whereas other environmental aspects, including potentially globally problematic emissions and material and energy demands, have not been examined in detail. Here we apply life cycle assessment to measure the contributions of krill meal, oil, and omega-3 capsules to global warming, ozone depletion, acidification, eutrophication, energy use, and biotic resource use.

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Background And Objectives: Evaluation of residents' competence is of great importance in the training of physicians, yet the evaluation process is largely subjective. Faculty and residents frequently rely on self assessments to make decisions regarding curriculum design and electives. The In-training Examination (ITE), the only widely available objective measure of residents' medical knowledge, provides an opportunity to test the reliability of self-assessments.

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Calciphylaxis is a condition with a high mortality rate that is often found in patients with renal failure. It is characterized by soft tissue calcification and painful skin ulceration. A serum calcium-phosphorus product of more than 60 mg2/dl2 indicates great risk for calciphylaxis.

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Objective: To determine sociodemographic characteristics associated with the initial presentation of Mexican-American elders to a community-based memory evaluation clinic.

Methods: Retrospective review of the charts of 89 Mexican Americans presenting consecutively to an outpatient memory evaluation clinic in San Antonio, Texas.

Principal Findings: Mexican Americans presented for evaluation with more moderate-to-severe cognitive impairment than previously reported.

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